The beginner’s enthusiasm is such that he cannot imagine what blocks could lie ahead to halt his progress. If some decisive challenge to his continuing on does occur at this early stage, he will likely abandon his practice altogether.
(Dave Lowry)
Tuesday
Monday
Alert
Our tai chi classes make people feel more alert. Students are required to be open to new ideas and explore the material for themselves. There is the joy of discovery, of finding out for yourself what works.
Self defence training increases your physical and mental awareness; you become more receptive and you notice more. Your body suddenly seems to be telling you things. This is not new. What's new is that you are listening.
Friday
Vibrant
The training gives you a serious buzz.
Once you commit to weekly lessons and start practicing at home, you really notice a difference.
Instead of feeling lethargic and bored, you feel energised and vibrant.
Your mind is quite calm and your emotions composed, but you feel alive.
Thursday
A system or a form?
It is common for people to learn several different tai chi forms. But a form is not the whole system. Are you just learning a form or are you learning an entire system? The two are not the same thing.
A form exists in the context of a system.
Learning a form independent of everything surrounding it - qigong, drills, training methods, applications - is pointless. It is a partial approach. Fragmented. Incomplete. Although it is possible to learn multiple forms, can you hope to know them all well?
Wednesday
Tuesday
Workshops can be useful
It can be quite useful to attend workshops offered by renowned masters. Yet, it is important to consider your motive in going. If you are wanting some potential tips and pointers, new ideas to play with - this is most likely what you will get from the experience.
If you are wanting the secret of tai chi, you may be looking in the wrong place. There is no quick fix, ready answer or moment of enlightenment. Careful daily practice with awareness will yield the best results.
You can learn more from hours of solitary practice than at a workshop if you are prepared to be patient and really pay attention.
Monday
Public workshops can be pointless
What can you learn from one workshop or a weekend seminar? Is a visiting Master really going to bare their secrets to a room of total strangers? Will a fragment/taster of an unfamiliar form/sequence really improve your overall tai chi skill?
Be honest about this.
Training with a renowned Master in no way translates to mean that you have been given that person's skill. The only proof of skill lies with the individual. What can you do?
Your teacher may be brilliant at tai chi but you might be lousy. Similarly, your instructor may be mediocre yet your skills are excellent.
Friday
Forms
A good form is not necessarily style-specific.
Yang, Chen, Wu, Sun, Hao and Cheng Man Ching are all different approaches to the same basic principles.
Providing your form is good for your body and contains the tai chi principles - it may beworth learning.
Find one tai chi style that works for you and practice it thoroughly.
Thursday
Fa jing
A form is a choreographed sequence of movements. Every movement is a biomechanical device for producing 'jing' or energy emission.
By shifting your weight, turning, flexing and moving - you can release energy in a particular manner in a given direction.
Wednesday
Biomechanics
If you earnestly explore a movement you can determine how the body needs to move in order to generate power. You can find the appropriate balance, the necessary degree of weight transfer and all the subtle neigong qualities that enhance the effect of the movement.
Then you can work with a partner to see how to optimise the biomechanics.
Your aim is to produce the greatest effect using the least physical effort. This must also feel physically comfortable, safe and follow the principles of The Tai Chi Classics.
Monday
Go deeper
Once the form choreography is accurate and familiar, the real work begins. The choreography is the beginning of your tai chi, not the end of it.
Instead of learning a new, novel form, study the one you have. Explore the body mechanics, how power is being generated, what lessons it is teaching you, and what you can do with it. Feel it become smooth and subtle as your body grows into the sequence.
Friday
Challenge
Some forms are admittedly more sophisticated than others, and require greater skill. Whilst there may be merit in challenging your body with new material, can you honestly claim to have mastered your existing material?
Most tai chi practitioners are not experts. The more forms you collect, the more diluted your practice and the less time you have to train (and understand) each form.Thursday
Principles
There is no real advantage in training more than one style of tai chi form. Any (and every) form should teach the same underlying principles.
Form choreography is akin to learning the alphabet. You do not need to learn two alphabets. One will suffice.Wednesday
Form is not kata
It is important not to think of tai chi form in terms of external kata.
External martial arts students learn kata in order to train specific insights and skills. Learning the kata is a way of gaining a thorough, well-rounded sense of the art. Each kata is different and necessary - it imparts a new lesson - and adds another piece to the whole.
However, kata and form are ultimately not the same thing. Form teaches 'a way of moving'. A style of using your body. A habit.
A kata is considered 'correct' if it looks accurate and crisp. This is not the case with a tai chi form. A form must be performed in a relaxed manner, with attention to how the power is being generated. Every movement must contain peng, and would be completely useless without it. A comprehensive understanding of how to apply every nuance of form is necessary for true understanding.
You do not need to learn several forms. All of the lessons and skills are contained in the one sequence.
Tuesday
Unlearning bad habits
We teach an 'internal' martial art and follow the teachings of The Tai Chi Classics. In order to start learning the system, a student must begin by letting-go of postural tension and the desire to use clenched muscles for strength.
For some people this is a gargantuan task because they rely on their arms for strength and do not really want to let-go. The problem is attitude, as much as body. Being open-minded and receptive is not easy.This style of tai chi is a 'soft' martial art. It maintains a loose connection throughout the body at all times and the muscles never tense.
Experiential
Karate, wing chun, tai chi and every other system has its own inherent feel; and this unique sense of the art takes time to unfold.
Questions will not give you meaningful answers because the art can only be understood in terms of itself.
Learning a martial art involves a certain process that is not exclusive to tai chi:
Unlearning bad habits
Conditioning the body
Learning new habits/responses
It takes months of weekly lessons to make headway with these three concerns.
Progress is steady, notable and ongoing. 'Countering' is the first real step towards learning tai chi.
Monday
Friday
Substantial
Unlike most tai chi in the UK, this particular style was never simplified or watered-down to accommodate Western students.
It remains sophisticated and intricate. Most of the detail is too subtle for a new starter to grasp.You must learn to notice small things in others and in yourself.
Thursday
Allowing time
Tai chi has an exciting, complex syllabus that cannot be summed-up in a few words or a 90 minute class.
If you start a new class, open your mind and accept that you are only experiencing a fragment that lesson.
To truly understand the art for yourself takes time.
Few things in life yield their treasures quickly or easily; you need commitment, sincerity and patience when studying tai chi.
Wednesday
Mastery of the syllabus
Tai chi is not about a result; the entire system is process-oriented. Your attention needs to be on what you are doing, how and why.
A scientific attitude helps; strip things down and understand what makes them work. Explore their resilience.
Tuesday
Accomplishment
The journey is unique to each individual. We all come to the practice from a different place and have our own reasons for walking the path.
Those who persevere with the training gain a quiet sense of accomplishment. An inner surety and confidence takes root. Such people grow as their art develops and continue a journey that will change every facet of their lives. They achieve something remarkable each day, re-awakening an inner joy as they continue their training.
Monday
Theory
Tai chi theory is akin to a Zen koan: clear to the insider but indecipherable to the novice.
Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu, The Art of War, I Ching, Miyamoto Musashi, Tai Chi Classics and the actual tai chi principles themselves are all pretty hard for a beginner to come to terms with.
It is like learning a new language.
Living art
We seek to perpetuate the art of tai chi. We want to pass it on, and every lesson is designed with this in mind. As with any artist, the teacher is very particular.
We want to make sure that every aspect has been thoroughly understood and retained. The standard is very high.
Friday
How long will it take to get good at tai chi?
That entirely depends upon you. Everyone is different. There are so many variables.
Consider:
Have you set aside some time every day for practice?
How long is it?
Do you bring preconceptions with you to lessons?
What are your expectations?
Did you think it would be easy?
Are you open and receptive?
Do you have some plan/ambition in mind?
Are you studying the DVD's regularly?
Is tai chi part of your life or a one-a-week night school class?
Do you train with other students between classes?
Have you any existing health problems that might impede training?
Is your body entrenched in hard-style habits of resistance and stiffness?
When you train at home, is your recollection good or poor?
Do you respond well to corrections in class?
Can you admit your mistakes?
Do you learn from them?
Have you committed to private lessons as well as regular classes?
What is your awareness like?
If things do not work for you, do you become aggressive and push?
Where is your focus?
Your tai chi is only as good as you make it.
Thursday
Tai chi syllabus
Learning the tai chi syllabus is not easy. We are not going to mislead you here.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of work.
However, you are welcome to work through the material at your own pace...
Wednesday
Under pressure?
Feeling to be under pressure runs contrary to the very spirit of tai chi.
Be patient and allow that things take time:
What your body remembers is what is important for you at this particular stage of development.
What your mind forgets, your body is telling you it couldn't use anyhow at this time.
(Tsuchihashi)
Tuesday
Acquiring tai chi skills
People are not always happy with the reality of their situation. We teach the material, we revise it with you, we offer you practice partners and we pressure test your understanding. But only you can do the work.
This is not what most people want to hear. Tai chi skills cannot be purchased. You must use your mind and your body. And you must practice.
Monday
Friday
Thursday
Wednesday
Natural range
In tai chi you must always remain within your natural range of movement. Any stretching is done gently and never forced; the body is allowed to open by itself, rather than be put under duress.
By encouraging the joints to be free, mobility increases radically and the body can move more comfortably. Tai chi should never strain or hurt the body.
Some movements may feel uncomfortable if you have bad postural habits and this is to be expected - your body is already used to set movements and poise - and the tai chi is gently changing these.
Tuesday
Context
Tai chi requires the student to perform every movement in a comfortable, relaxed manner, whilst maintaining optimal structural alignment relative to the opponent.
At no time should your use of strength exceed 4 ounces of pressure, nor should you allow more than 4 ounces to be placed upon you.
Force is never used against force. Every action should be a whole-body movement rather than independent limb action.
There are no conventional punches or kicks; the body employs a whipping action to throw the limb out when striking.
Tai chi is circular in movement and application - it must follow the way of nature, the path of least resistance.
Friday
How
Tai chi is concerned with the how. It is process-oriented; paying attention to the way in which you do things rather than just the result.
Thursday
Purpose
Beyond the physical tai chi training there is a complex theoretical, philosophical, spiritual side to the art. People have spent centuries engrossed in its mysteries.
Being engaged in the unravelling of ancient secrets is a great reason to stay alive. You will need those 120 years.
Wear & tear
Suppose you buy a car in 2020 and use it very rarely. In 2026 you decide to sell the car and take it to a dealership.
The mileage is unusually low for a car of its age. Yet the car is still 6 years old chronologically. In terms of wear and tear the car is 6 months old.
Tai chi is about spending your energy frugally. That way, as you get older, your wear and tear is unusually low for a person of your age.
Tai chi for sustainable living
Long held to be an excellent anti-aging regime, tai chi may indeed be the perfect exercise (Harvard Medical School). The art is not as easy to learn as people seem to think.
It takes dedication, time, patience and the application of your mind as well as your body. The training is concerned with re-energising the body.
Wednesday
Low stress
Avoiding stress is crucial. Stressful situations and stressful people are downright toxic for your health. Stay away from them whenever you can.
Organise your life to reduce and (ideally) avoid stress.
Tai chi is the one exercise that can universally help solve our growing health crisis. It has stood the test of thousands of years. We have a generation of baby boomers with increasing health problems; old people who are sick, in pain, fearful, and cranky; a middle class that is increasingly incapable of affording most of the drugs that are prescribed for their ailments; children that are flaccid, diabetic and asthmatic. People of all ages are addicted to drugs, alcohol, sugar, cigarettes, and caffeine. Stress follows almost everyone like a shadow.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Do not retire
Often people retire from work only to become incredibly lazy or obsessively active. Lazy individuals refuse to do anything.
Manic characters go crazy in their attempt to stave off deterioration; often speeding up the process rather than retarding it.In Asia, the preference is to remain gently active, to not actually retire as such. Instead of going crazy or slobbing out, keep occupied and continue to develop your body, mind and interests.
Tuesday
Learning to let-go
A lot of people are stressed. Their minds are racing with thoughts all the time. This is not healthy. It can lead to numerous health problems ranging from impotence to insomnia.
In order to find balance and tranquillity, the mind must be allowed to come to a stop. To rest. To be at peace. This will require patience and the desire to change...
With today's round-the-clock access to news we can now receive a twenty-four-hours-a-day parade of mostly negative information about random shootings, drug wars, environmental disasters, racially motivated hate crimes, rampaging serial killers, and gruesome sex crimes. As they say in the world of television news production, "If it bleeds, it leads." The news, in fact, has become so stressful that health experts recommend 'news fasts' to improve psychological health.
(Dr Bradley Wilcox, Dr Craig Wilcox and Dr Makoto Suzuki)
Learned helplessness?
Many people behave as though their home life was subject to the same demands as their working day. This is a common delusion. At work, you are accountable for how you spend your time.
At home, you personally decide how to spend your time. You choose. Nobody else does.
It is quite common for people to pretend that they have no control over their own lives, but is it really true? And if it is true, then what does that say about you?
Sabotaging the tai chi
Many forms of exercise can actively develop bad posture. They often cause serious fatigue and adverse wear and tear on the body. The tension in the body uses energy and tires you out.
Local limb action is typically favoured rather than whole-body movement.
Monday
Home
It is healthy to make a clear distinction between private and public life. Your public life is subject to many influences and concerns that you are required to address.
Your private life is your own. Within reason you are not answerable to anybody. At work you may be the lowest rung on the ladder but at home you are the King/Queen.
It is absurd to think you are going to get anywhere by giving only an hour a week to your practice or that you can regularly skip classes. Martial arts is not like a bridge club, where you drop in when you have nothing better to do. Martial arts will always make greater demands on your time than would most hobbies or avocations.
(Dave Lowry)
Quick fix?
Martial arts training, meditation, spirituality and cognitive development all require a great deal of gentle, patient, mindful work. Over a lengthy period of time.
Often the student is wanting a quick fix. Lacking the tenacity to sustain on-going daily practice, the student is hoping for an easier route. Does it exist?
Friday
Fitness
People are often not quite as fit as they may imagine.
This fact might not seem important in tai chi because a lot of the work is slow, but the truth is that you cannot reasonably hope to defend yourself if you are out of shape.Stamina and endurance cannot be ignored.
Tone
Tense muscles are in fact weak muscles. They are not healthy, balanced and toned. They are over-working and straining. Your nervous system is sending and receiving faulty information from the muscles.
This is not good for your tai chi.
Thursday
Wednesday
Ideal form of exercise
According to the book The Blue Zones it is important to think of exercise in terms of what you can reasonably do long-term.
The ideal form of exercise is moderate enough that you can do it for the rest of your life. It needs to be joint-friendly, provide a gentle workout and be sustainable.
The ideal form of exercise is moderate enough that you can do it for the rest of your life. It needs to be joint-friendly, provide a gentle workout and be sustainable.
This sounds rather like tai chi, doesn't it?
Tuesday
The drawbacks of exercise
Not all forms of exercise are necessarily good for you. For example, running may improve cardiovascular health but is also very hard on the joints.
Lifting heavy weights can cause significant tension to accumulate and - if the muscles are large enough - adversely affect the skeleton. Most forms of exercise have pros and cons; especially sport.
Monday
Friday
Martial classics
There are a number of martial classics, including:
36 Strategies
The Art of War
The Book of Five Rings
The Methods of the Ssu-ma
Questions and Replies Between T’ang T’ai-tsung and Li Wei-kung
T’ai Kung’s Six Secret Teachings
Three Strategies of Huang Shih-kung
Wei Liao-tzu
Wu-tzu
Empiricism
Talk is cheap in the modern world, so we encourage direct experience instead. Nobody in the class is expected to take the instructor's word for it. Find out for yourself through practical exercises.
Belief is not a requirement, nor is faith. You are not a 'disciple'. We adopt a scientific approach. The evidence is to be found in the doing and the proof in the effect.
This is called 'empiricism'. Discover the facts for yourself. Feel it for yourself. This is the heart of Zen.
Tai chi is the one exercise that can universally help solve our growing health crisis. It has stood the test of thousands of years. We have a generation of baby boomers with increasing health problems; old people who are sick, in pain, fearful, and cranky; a middle class that is increasingly incapable of affording most of the drugs that are prescribed for their ailments; children that are flaccid, diabetic and asthmatic. People of all ages are addicted to drugs, alcohol, sugar, cigarettes, and caffeine. Stress follows almost everyone like a shadow.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Wednesday
Flexibility
Most adults lose flexibility in their hands as they grow older. This is often the result of neglect and misuse. In our tai chi school we often ask new people to try and use baoding balls.
This is usually quite telling. Baoding balls are 2 metal spheres held in the palm of the hand and rotated using the movement of the hand and thumb.
Often people are exceedingly inept. Their hands simply will not move adequately to perform the exercise.
Refined movement
Modern technology is re-shaping how we use our bodies. Jerky, sharp movement is coarse and unrefined; clumsy. The joints of the body are capable of a wide range of movement.
Excessive use of toys is limiting those movements; emphasising the same actions repeatedly.
e.g. if you watch an Asian dancer, the hands perform intricate shapes and minute movements which look simple but are very hard to replicate.
Tension
A keyboard, mouse and monitor are interfaces that enable you to use the computer. The same is true of a mobile phone or videogame controller.
They were not designed with health in mind.
Be aware that your health must be your own concern. Continual use of a restricted number of muscles leads to muscular tension in the arms, wrists and hands.
Tuesday
Form teaches
Form teaches economy of movement, centre, range & reach, coordination, footwork, balance, timing, synchrony, flow, natural body use, healthy body use, strong skeletal alignment, power generation, stance and positioning.
Form (whole-body movement)
Every tai chi form movement has a purpose. The student must understand why they are doing the movement, otherwise that movement is meaningless and most likely incorrect.
What is the movement for? How does it operate? Look at different forms in the syllabus - armed and unarmed - and consider the way in which the body is being used.
Examine the purpose, the method and the outcome.
Qigong
As a precursor to tai chi, qigong offers the student an opportunity to explore crude body mechanics without the need of direct application.
Structure, balance, stance (foot position), mobility, coordination, use of energy, alignment, posture and poise are all explored using simple exercises.Basic concerns such as ambidextrous body use are introduced. Muscle tension is identified and relaxation is encouraged.
Qigong exercises enable the student to become familiar with their existing habits of body use, and provide the opportunity to consider alternative approaches.
Monday
Lower back
Lower back problems can be caused by various things but the main problem is sitting too much. Sitting causes the muscles to shorten. It is then harder for them to relax and lengthen.
Pelvis problems occur because the spine has lost its natural curvature and the muscles pull the pelvis out of alignment.Posterior pelvic tilt
One common back problem many students exhibit is called a 'posterior pelvic tilt'. It is caused by standing badly and sitting badly.
As such it's a 'lifestyle problem' and not something we can address in class. We're not therapists. Students are responsible for remedying the problem themselves.
Stiff muscles
People who go to the gym promote massive tension in their shoulders. The shoulders are pulled up towards their ears by the unnecessary shortening of the muscles.
This is the outcome of failing to relax. The shoulder joint is pulled up out of its natural position and the skeleton is distorted.Friday
Failure to rest appropriately
Not many people make the time to rest properly. They watch TV. They go out for meals. They run. But they do not rest.
Twisting & over-stretching
It is quite common for people to damage their back by stretching too far in everyday life or twisting the wrong way.
Stretching and twisting are normally safe as part of a slow, controlled, supervised exercise program. In everyday life, avoid both.
Step
Rather than stretch, step closer. Use a stool if you need to reach high. Instead of twisting, keep your spine vertical, and turn your entire body to face the object/subject.
Remember that humans are forward-facing beings.
Thursday
Too much sitting
The main problem with sitting is gravity, loss of circulation and the tightening/shortening of your muscles. Muscular tension stops your joints and vertebra from moving freely.
When the hips, groin and sacroiliac freeze-up, the overall skeletal mobility is reduced.Heavy head
Your head weighs almost a stone. When you let it hang forwards it acts as an anchor; pulling your spine downwards. The chest caves in. The abdominal muscles collapse.
Bad lifting technique
Most people are quite aware of how to lift things correctly but many people ignore the advice. Hurried, sloppy lifting - with little or no adhesion to good structure and alignment - can lead to problems.
Take the time to learn how to lift things properly. There is a bounty of free information on-line. It is not complicated.You just need to keep your mind on what you are doing, be sensible about the weight and use your body well.
Wednesday
Find the calm
There are calm places to be found in every town. A tai chi class is a good example. Calm voices, settled emotions and an atmosphere of friendship and camaraderie will be immediately apparent.
This may feel most unfamiliar to you, odd even. Don't panic. Give yourself time to adjust to something different. Just stay with it and enjoy. A feeling of serenity and peace may settle upon you.
Notice things
The first indication of a calmer mind lies in your capacity to notice the world around you. Instead of driving past in your noisy car, you walk slowly. You see.
Insignificant-seeming things catch your attention: a butterfly, a leaf, a flower, the sound of an insect or the call of a bird. If you experience genuine awe and delight, then you are learning.Tuesday
Monday
Wear & tear
Suppose you buy a car in 2020 and use it very rarely. In 2026 you decide to sell the car and take it to a dealership. The mileage is unusually low for a car of its age.
Yet the car is still 6 years old chronologically. In terms of wear and tear the car is 6 months old.
Tai chi is about spending your energy frugally. That way, as you get older, your wear and tear is unusually low for a person of your age.
Mind, body, spirit
Tai chi combines mind, body and spirit in every action. The student feels acutely alive and alert; energy-filled and passionate.
By using the body more efficiently, you can become less tired and feel more lively.Nervous agitation
Neurotic conduct is not youthful. Look at small children, unhindered by adult interference. They are usually curious about their immediate environment.
Taste, smell, touch, sounds, sights. The child is not fidgeting or restless, bored or emotional. They are filled with awe and wonder.Wednesday
Tuesday
Large movement
It is easy for most people to perform large, extended movements that rotate the shoulder joint or bend the elbow.
No particular skill is involved.
Our students are not taught to practice in this way.
Whilst large movements may indeed exercise some of the muscles and the joints, they fail to address the full range of potential movement.
The real skill lies in the small, in the subtle.
Mind, body, spirit
Instead of feeling apart from what is happening, we feel the physics of the movement, the kinetic flow.
Our own body and our self-consciousness is lost in the event itself.There is no more self or other, just movement, just sensation/feeling.
When your mind/body/spirit integration is complete, you act so unconsciously that you no longer really feel the movements as such.
It is spontaneous and natural. It just happened.
Monday
Too slow?
If you go too slowly it can be counter-productive. Instead of loosening and relaxing, you stiffen up. This occurs because the muscles are working too hard to carry the weight of the body. Find a pace that is slow but still smooth.
Beginners find it quite difficult to move slowly. This is understandable. In our class, beginners move at a comfortable, easy pace. They are not encouraged to be too slow at first.Skilled students are asked to slow down considerably. This makes the practice far more potent. The body must work harder, and excellent balance is necessary.
Whole-body strength
Almost every beginner struggles to understand the application of strength in tai chi.
They wrestle with the subject, believing that they cannot reasonably apply the system without tensing their muscles and using force.For each and every tai chi movement, the muscles of your body must work in unity to produce the effect.
Not just the shoulders or arm.
Not just the waist.
You must feed power through the frame using every muscle of the body combined.
This is far harder than it sounds but well worth the effort.
Your muscles must never tense. They need to remain soft and loose, with a subtle stretch.
Natural range
In tai chi you must always remain within your natural range of movement.
Any stretching is done subtly and never forced; the body is allowed to open by itself, rather than be forced.
By encouraging the joints to be free, mobility increases radically and the body can move more comfortably.
Tai chi should never strain or hurt the body.
Some movements may feel uncomfortable if you have bad postural habits and this is to be expected - your body is already used to set patterns of movement and poise - and the tai chi is gently changing these.
Friday
Gravity
The loose flowing movements of tai chi are very deliberately slow because gravity is maintained when you move slowly. You can align the body to work with gravity and improve your balance. Leaning of any kind will destabilise the body.
It is fairly easy to move quickly. Try lifting a leg in slow motion... the leg feels very heavy and hard to move. When your body submits to gravity, it can feel as if you are lifting weights every time you practice tai chi. Stronger bones and muscles are developed as a consequence.
Nervous system
Moving slowly is quite difficult. New students cannot sustain a slow, even movement. They jerk.
The remedy to this is to practice. Gradually, your body changes from within.Slowing your movements entails the release of tension and the softening of the nerves. A calm, relaxed body can move softly and evenly without effort.
The equivalent process to seeking the "Holy Grail" in internal arts is the ability to move more slowly than your opponent and consistently win.
Slower speed that wins out requires three types of speed coming together simultaneously:
1. Timing.
2. The signals required to maintain some level of conscious power.
3. The ability to release the internal gears of your body, which, if they freeze up, can create a momentary mental gap that breaks the connection between you and your opponent.
This method is referred to in the Tai Chi Classics in the form of a question:
"How is it possible that an old man can defeat a group of younger men?"
Obviously, elderly men, even the most talented, are not physically capable of moving at the speed of young men. Virtually, by definition, the elderly move with slowness, and yet those old men internal arts masters by slipping in between the gaps, are justifiably well-known for defeating younger and faster men.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Thursday
Feeling
Our approach to tai chi places emphasis upon feeling/physically sensing. You must be totally present in order for the system to work effectively for health, meditation and self defence.
This entails feeling every part of your body consciously as it moves. Immersing yourself in the 'here and now' heightens your awareness and reduces the risk of injury.
Led astray
In your quest for martial power, it is very easy to be led astray. Gimmicks, short-cuts and secrets will promise you everything you desire. The danger lies in the fact that you are inexperienced.
Your quest is based on your perception of what is important, of what is necessary. To a more experienced student, those same concerns may seem irrelevant or misguided.
Being human
When you remove any notions of being perfect, you can relax and get on with the practice. Everyone is flawed. Everyone makes mistakes. This is part of what makes us human.
Don't be so worried about 'getting it right'. Just be.
Wednesday
Internal
Skill in tai chi is internal, within the body - and can always be improved upon. The outward form should reflect the energy of each movement. Every movement should be like a wave, rippling out of the body and then returning. This is shown by the water-like undulation of the body as you move.
Posture is a framework for shaping the movement, nothing more. It is the scaffolding, not the substance.
Outward form
Accurate form postures do not necessarily reflect skill in tai chi. They demonstrate accuracy, memory and spatial awareness. Do not be caught up in how nice your form looks.
Perfection
Some people seek to 'perfect' their tai chi practice. They seek a condition of faultless excellence with nothing lacking. This idea of completeness has the connotation of finality. Yet, tai chi is not about reaching a goal.
Tai chi is the process, the means, the nature; not the end.
Taoism considers 'perfection' to be a condition of uncontrived naturalness. Yet, the very notion of perfection is simply a concept... Your tai chi can only ever be a work-in-progress. The learning will never end.
Tuesday
Tortoise/turtle
Pre-natal breath is held on the in-take and then then exhalation continued for as long as possible.
This is specifically used as a qigong breath.Pre-natal
The front of the body ripples as you breathe.
This is the advanced version of reverse breathing and incorporates a more powerful action of the diaphragm.Reverse
Breathe in and the abdomen comes in, breathe out and the abdomen goes out.
This is Taoist breathing. It is also essential for energy release.Monday
Shoulders
The shoulders are commonly overused in tai chi. They should be connected to the hips and moved as a consequence of the leg and waist muscles, rather than independently.
There are no conventional punches in tai chi; you never deliver a blow by 'cocking' the shoulder.
The shoulders should be free to fold and flex normally but never lead the movement.
If your shoulders are stiff, consider how free the legs are...
Hips & knees
Many students sink deep into the knees instead of the hips - this is how you can damage the knees. If your knees hurt during tai chi practice, look to the pelvis first. Loose hips, relaxed lower back and ankles will allow the knee to move comfortably.
Spine
Sinking into your hips and letting the pelvis become heavy will allow the lower back to relax fully. When the tailbone drops, your spine lengthens naturally.
Make sure that the rear knee is relaxed.
You should feel a sensation behind the shoulders called 'pluck up the back'.
Stiffness and holding will reduce mobility - the vertebra should be free to flex and rotate as you move.
Thursday
Internal attitude
The aim is to train every day. There is no need push yourself, strain your body or perform high repetitions. Train gently.
What is needed is presence and mindfulness. Have your mind on what you are doing and train slowly and carefully.
New starters
New students focus upon practicing (and learning) a series of fundamental standing and moving qigong exercises. These are quite easy to perform and build a foundation level of strength.
Partner exercises are mild, with the emphasis placed upon awareness and sensitivity.Hard work
Most new starters are not prepared for the amount of physical work involved in learning a martial art.
The image of tai chi creates a false sense of effortlessness.Few people expect to train hard.
This is naive.
Set aside talk about relaxation, qi, softness and other concerns...
Your body is flesh and bone.
It is moved by muscles.
In order to be strong, agile, flexible and adaptive in combat - you need to strengthen your body.
Wednesday
At one with the Tao
The form is one method for exploring the many insights offered by Taoism.
It is a hands-on approach to spirituality. It is a physical journey that will lead to an inner search for meaning and understanding within the student.
High-level form practice harmonises the body and the mind. We move in a natural, healthy, strong fashion. The lessons learned can be taken into everyday life.
Deliberate practice
It is necessary to have the form regularly corrected, so that a process of on-going refinement and improvement takes place.
Accurate positioning, attention to detail and a growing awareness of nuances is vital. Once the form pattern has been learned, it must also be mirrored.
Tuesday
The highest level of tai chi practice is high stance and small circle. In high stance and small circle you can conserve your energy to a maximum level. This is very crucial in battle. Endurance has always been the crucial key to survival in a long battle. Moreover, due to high stance and smaller shape you can reach to the deepest relaxed stage, the mind is highly concentrated, and the sensitivity and alertness can be extremely sharp.
(Yang Jwing-Ming)
Embodied spirituality
Instead of talking, praying or thinking, Taoists do. They act. They put their wisdom into practice. Tai chi is a physical embodiment of Taoist insights.
Tao
If you want to find the origin of tai chi, begin with the ancient Chinese study of existence known as 'Taoism'.
Monday
No fixed result
Taking another person's feeling into account means that we can avoid being accusatory or hostile. We can discuss things rationally and sensibly. The aim is not to find a solution or even to win. Rather, we simply want to explore the possibilities together.
A shared journey of discovery is far more productive than starting out with a fixed agenda. Who can say where the conversation may lead, or what unforeseen elements may emerge?
Non-violent communication
It is quite possible to communicate with other people without hostility and conflict. We can share ideas in an amiable way, even if we are in disagreement with one another. Emotional awareness and composure represent the key.
When your emotions are balanced and calm, you can think clearly and see more. You notice things and can respond intuitive and sensitively, rather than blundering around carelessly.Our choice of words can be well-chosen, without being false or manipulative. Zen/Tao might suggest that we respond with silence. This is not an invitation to be rude. It indicates that talk is not always necessary or beneficial.
Friday
Attitude
Being a considerate person makes life much easier. You notice other people, you pay attention to their moods, wants and needs. This does not entail any form of subservience or simpering. You are simply aware. In the here and now. Paying attention. Listening. It is surprising what you notice when you stop your internal narrative and look at what is going on around you.
You may see common ground between you and someone else. Your interests and agendas may not be all that different. Instead of fighting, you could simply talk. Do you need to win? Is it necessary to get your point across? Who cares if the other person does not understand? Instead of getting into a conflict, ask yourself: is there another option?Fear
Do you anticipate conflict in your everyday life? Do you live in fear? Is your fear genuine or are you just overly-sensitive?
The problem with fear is that much of it is imagined. People create their own problems by becoming anxious about everyday situations. They blow things out of proportion. They over-react.
Are you holding onto an image? Men puff up their chest and strut around like a rooster in an attempt to look 'hard'. This kind of behaviour is designed to intimidate would-be assailants. It only serves to make the individual look weak, fearful and insecure. It advertises their fear.
No lies. No excuses
It is easy to blame other people for conflict. People instinctively lash out and seek to blame someone else. Try being honest. No lies. No excuses.
Are you blameless? Have you played any small part in creating conflict or were you simply on the receiving end?
Be genuine about this. It is impossible to make progress if you deny the truth. Being sullen and resentful only perpetuates conflict. It is important to find the source of disharmony if you desire to move past it. Being willing to change is imperative.
Thursday
Listening
If we listen to other people, we realise that there are many sides to every situation. It is often possible to avoid conflict.
People do not care to listen these days. They are too busy talking. Too eager to promote their own agenda. Listening is a skill. It requires practice and patience.Disharmony
Conflict typically involves emotional turmoil, anxiety and stress. Is it worth the effort?
Many disagreements are exceptionally petty and essentially meaningless.
Consider: football fans will assault fans of an opposing team on sight.
For what reason?
If one team or the other wins, what difference does it make?
Is the world a better place?
Has a tyrannical despot been overthrown?
Did someone cure cancer?
Have the peoples of the Third World been fed?
When somebody seeks to argue with you, it is important to ask yourself what the contention is really about.
If the disagreement is pointless, is there any reason to get into conflict?
Pride, ego, insecurity, distemper - these are not adequate reason for conflict. They are just excuses.
Conflict
Conflict may occur when there is a disagreement between people. Contradictory values, priorities, beliefs and opinions create contention. Quite often a quarrel of some nature may occur.
Conflicts often involve:
Strong emotions
Fixed standpoint
Unwillingness to compromise
Limited perspective
Stubbornness
Lack of compassion
Raised voices
Verbal, emotional or physical violence
The opposition of ideas can lead to bitterness, hostility and a great deal of upset.
Wednesday
Endurance
Endurance is the capacity to withstand hardship. It is the ability to handle difficulty. To recover from trauma, injury and fatigue.
Stamina
Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort; to remain active for a long period of time without fatigue.
Balance
Tai chi students cultivate static balance to begin with. They then work through increasingly challenging forms of movement designed to improve dynamic balance.
Tuesday
Monday
Where is the class?
Community Hall, St Andrew's Church, Station Road, Benton, NE12 8AW.
Please enter via the car park.
Friday
Long-term health & fitness
According to The Blue Zones and The Okinawa Program it is important to think of exercise in terms of what you can reasonably do long-term. We are all aging. This is unavoidable.
The ideal form of exercise is moderate enough that you can do it for the rest of your life. It needs to be joint-friendly, have a low-risk of injury, provide a gentle workout and be sustainable.
On-going health requires on-going practice
A 2-week tai chi taster is nice, but if you want to experience on-going benefits, you need on-going practice. The more often your body undertakes the exercise, the more familiar it will be.
Pay-as-you-go?
Attending as and when you feel like it sounds great, but drop-in classes don't work. Usually the student attends 2-3 lessons maximum and then stops tai chi altogether.
Newcastle Tai Chi is not a drop-in class. Our aim is to help and support each individual in their efforts to get fit, healthy and (if interested) gain martial arts skill.
Thursday
How healthy do I need to be?
You don't need to be fit to start tai chi classes. But you do need to be able to stand up, walk and step without the aid of a stick.
The qigong & tai chi classes are designed to cultivate a greater degree of fitness: stamina, balance, endurance, flexibility, mobility and coordination. In some respects the exercises will be just as challenging as yoga, but not exertive.
Physical contact
Pushing hands (and other forms of partner work) requires you to touch other students. If you are not comfortable with physical contact, we recommend that you consider an alternative form of exercise.
There are so many different dimensions to what Sifu Waller's class offers, it is hard to know where to start. The main thing for me is that it is great fun - I never expected that it would make me laugh so much.
This comes from Sifu Waller's unique approach, sharing his vast knowledge in a down-to-earth and non-macho way, which I think leads to the whole class being a warm and supportive place to be.
The key thing is that it works, such simple things that have a really dramatic effect on your body, not a spiritual, abstract set of moves but real 'I do this, he falls down' stuff. I can feel my own body responding now too - getting firmer, more balanced, more in control - and I think the qigong exercises are making my mind much calmer as well.
(Robin)
Wednesday
What don't we teach?
Even though our syllabus is comprehensive, we cannot conceivably teach everything e.g. we don't teach other martial arts.
Occasionally, people ask Newcastle Tai Chi to tailor the syllabus to suit their own area of interest/needs, such as tai chi for the elderly, tai chi in a chair, tai chi for children, tai chi for people with mental health issues or tai chi as performance art. We cannot teach kung fu to children or to new starters above the age of 60.
These are not areas that we specialise in. We are not trained or qualified to teach these approaches, nor is our syllabus or insurance geared with these in mind.
Research could save you time & money
A would-be student should take the time to learn a little more about what the class is offering before attending any sessions. Do a little research. See what is on offer and if suits your requirements.
In the case of Newcastle Tai Chi, why not read our website a little? The time spent could be worthwhile.
Is tai chi appropriate for my medical condition?
If you have any medical questions, your doctor is the person to speak to. A tai chi teacher is not qualified (or permitted) to give advice on your unique medical condition. Go see your doctor.
Tuesday
Pliable strength
Using gravity and connection, we build a substantial structure. That structure must also be fluid and adaptive like water. Nothing is softer than water.
Soft means relaxed
'Soft' refers to the condition of pliability and the necessity of using the least amount of muscular strength at all times.
Only by being extremely gentle in our physical contact with others can we sense their movements fully and flow like water.
Hardness in our own bodies will prevent sensitivity and impede smooth movement.
You need a good tai chi teacher to adjust your posture physically, to help calibrate your alignment, to point out where you are holding tensions, and to note any musculoskeletal imbalances. The nonverbal physical adjustments you get from your teacher help you develop a level of self-awareness not accessible through solo practice alone.
(Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publication, May 2009)
Monday
Soft does not mean floppy
A taijiquan exponent seeks to have the supple, soft body they once had as a child. The joints are mobile and flexible, and the muscles move smoothly and easily.
Poise is good and the body is used naturally and comfortably. The mind is quiet and we listen to what the body is telling us.
The Chen form derived from battlefield military movements, where people wore medieval body armour that had to be compensated for. The Chen-style stances were specifically designed to achieve these compensations and obtain a workable position from which to realistically throw an armoured opponent.
By the time Yang had reached Beijing, times had changed. With the advent of firearms, battlefield armour became obsolete; hence, the need for techniques to deal with armoured foes had passed.
Yang and his students had to deal with situations encountered by bodyguards, not armies opposing each other.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Patience
How well you do is entirely down to you. Your capacity to coordinate the body, memorise, observe, comprehend and adapt will all be put to the test.
Yet, this is no competition. You do what you can, as you can. The class is for you. We are here to assist you. The process of learning takes as long as it needs to.
Friday
Professional
A professional syllabus is not the norm in tai chi; most schools do not have a formal syllabus. At best they have qigong, forms and drills - and these are taught in a habitual manner.
A curriculum needs to be very carefully thought through in order to build layer upon layer of understanding, body growth and internal development.
Interlocking
Every exercise has been systematically broken-down, explained and re-built. This is a very thorough process. All aspects of the syllabus interlock.
The material is self-reinforcing and challenges each student to understand tai chi for themselves.
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